1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to padded fishing shorts for use in connection with deep sea fishing, lake, pond, and river fishing, and other related sports. The padded fishing shorts have particular utility in connection with comfortably resting a fishing pole butt on the wearer's abdomen atop exterior removable padding, and for storing a drink koozie on a clip.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Padded fishing shorts are desirable to increase a fisherman's comfort as they are fighting a fish by allowing the fisherman to rest the butt of their fishing rod against their abdomen.
The use of padded sports clothing is known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,134,726 to Ross discloses a sports pant with openable and closeable pockets on the interior of the pants for receiving padding. However, the Ross '726 patent does not disclose attaching the padding by hook and loop material, e.g. VELCRO™, and has further drawbacks of having to open the pants to remove the padding.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,922,899 to Graffet al. discloses an athletic cup apparatus that has two protective cups on an apparatus attached with elastic straps. However, the '899 patent does not disclose the use of soft padding attached to the wearers clothing, and additionally does not provide for a single layer of soft padding suitable for fishing, but rather provides for a flange holding a rigid cup and a non-rigid cup.
Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,381,922 to Gladman et al. discloses a no handle drink carrier that attaches to a belt clip with a hook and loop material, e.g. VELCRO™. However, the '922 patent does not provide means for attaching drink carrier to the shorts, which will free up the belt for various fishing implements, and has the additional deficiency of attaching the drink carrier with a hook and loop rnaterial, e.g. VELCRO™, which will not provide reliable support when a drink can is full.
Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,577,346 to Hall discloses a protective sports garment that has a plurality of flat ring that extend around the wearer in the waist area However, the Hall '346 patent does not provide for a padded garment that is integrated with a pair of shorts, and can not allow the user to remove the padding on all sides to allow for padding only in the lower abdomen area where a fishing pole butt will rest.
While the above-described devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a padded fishing shorts that allows comfortably resting a fishing pole butt on the wearer's abdomen atop exterior removable padding, and for storing a drink koozie on a clip. The Ross patent makes no provision for an exterior removable padding or a drink koozie clip, both of which are desirable for convenience and comfort while fishing.
Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved padded fishing shorts that can be used for comfortably resting a fishing pole butt on the wearer's abdomen atop exterior removable padding, and for storing a drink koozie on a clip. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need. In this respect, the padded fishing shorts according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of comfortably resting a fishing pole butt on the wearer's abdomen atop exterior removable padding, and for storing a drink koozie on a clip.